An entity may not allow users to transmit/receive an artifact (e.g., Microsoft Word® document, digital photograph, etc.) having an unauthorized information (e.g., a trade secret, etc.) in an electronic transmission (e.g., e-mail, instant message, etc.) to a destination in a network that is not controlled by the entity. For example, the entity may prohibit the transmission/reception of a file with a digital photographic image based solely on the content of that image (e.g., an offensive image).
It may be difficult for the entity to obtain evidence that a particular user has transmitted/received a prohibited type of information unless the entity has an opportunity to visually examine a content of the artifact. The entity may employ several methods to obtain evidence that the particular user has transmitted/received a prohibited type of information. For example, the entity may reconfigure an electronic mail setting of the particular user's electronic mail application to forward all electronic mail to a supervisor employed by the entity. However, the particular user may transmit information at a greater frequency and/or at different times (e.g., at night) than can be monitored by the supervisor. The methods employed by the entity may be inefficient and/or incomplete.
Furthermore, they may require considerable expenditures of financial, network band width and/or supervisor work time to implement.